From man's earliest expressions on the magic of flying to the chilling last words of some of aviation's giants, here's an utterly unique collection of 1,000 of the most memorable thoughts on flight down through the ages. Concisely capturing flying's special allure and excitement as well as its humor and tragedy, this power-packed anthology of quotations by Leonardo da Vinci, Lindbergh, Armstrong, Yeager, and hundreds of others amply illustrates why, as aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal rhapsodized, "To fly is everything."

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From the Back Cover:

"...succinct, power-packed bits of wisdom which are easily digested by the reader. There's much to be learned as well as enjoyed...." Ron Machado, aviation writer and personality.

Soar with the Immortals of the Air. From the exhilarating "High Flight," written by a doomed WWII Spitfire pilot in World War II and the source of this book's title to John Glen's expressions of wonder in orbit, Slipping the Surly Bonds will carry you into the sky with the greatest airmen and women of all time. You'll meet dreamers, balloonists, and inventors of airplanes, da Vinci, Lindbergh, Armstrong, Yeager, and hundreds more. A true labor of love, shining with passion, adventure, and eloquence, this collection of more than 1000 enthralling quotations on flight will leave you breathless and yearning for wings.

[Inside flap][Quote] "To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something. To fly is everything."- Otto Lilenthal, pioneer aircraft builder

[Back cover copy]

Flying inspires passions unknown to mere earth-bound mortals. Throughout the ages, flyers and those who dreamed of flying have attempted to capture in words the feelings of magic and wonder evoked by flight. A fitting crown for the "Century of Flight," this unique collection of the most compelling words ever written or spoken about flying spotlights one of humankind's greatest, most enduring, and most spectacular accomplishments - the gravity-defying conquest of the skies. Gathered together for the first time, these quotations convey the drama, achievement, and pure thrill of flying. Some touch you with the pathos of doomed heroes and heroines and the brave struggles of storied aviators. Others capture with humor the fun of flight. You'll find predictions of the future of aviation, air combat experiences, historical anecdotes, wisdom on safety, thoughts by and about women pilots, and much, much more - all lovingly selected to inspire and uplift flyers and non-flyers alike. A word of caution, however. If you're buying this book for yourself, be sure to write your name inside the cover. Slipping the Surly Bonds is one of those rare books that you just won't be able to resist sharing with friends!

[Back cover]

"succinct, power-packed bits of wisdom which are easily digested by the reader. There's much to be learned as well as enjoyed..."- Rod Machado, aviation writer and personality

SOAR WITH THE IMMORTALS OF THE AIR

From the exhilarating "High Flight" (the source of this book's title) to John Glenn's expressions of wonder in orbit, Slipping the Surly Bonds will carry you into the sky with the greatest airmen and women of all time. You'll meet dreamers, balloonists, and inventors of airplanes - da Vinci, Lindbergh, Armstrong, Yeager, and hundreds more. A true labor of love, shining with passion, adventure, and eloquence, this collection of more than 1000 enthralling quotations on flight will leave you breathless - and yearning for wings.

Plato

Igor I. Sikorsky

Chuck Yeager

Neil Armstrong

Ernest Hemingway

William Blake

Charles A. Lindbergh

Jacques Alexandre

Cesare Charles

Charles F. Duryea

Nevil Shute

Maria Edgeworth

Tom Wolfe

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Christa McAuliffe

Wernher von BraunHorace Walpole

Patricia Robertson Miller

Wilbur Wright

Alfred Kahn

Joyce Carol Oates

Thomas Pynchon

Francis Gary Powers

Hannah Whitall Smith

Beryl Markham

Amelia Earhart

Mary Shafer

Cecil Day Lewis

Linda Finch

Manfred Rittmeister von Richtofen

Stephen Coonts

About the Author:

David William English is a full-time pilot and a part-time aviation writer. Currently a contributing editor at Airways magazine and a consulting editor at IFR magazine, he has also written for Air Line Pilot, Airliners, Aviation Consumer, Flight Training, and Professional Pilot magazines. Readers are invited to contact the author at http://english@skygod.com.